Clothe your family for $5 and help the needy

Saturday

Mar 30, 2013 at 3:15 AM

By Conor Makemcmakem@fosters.com

ROCHESTER — One of Rochester’s best kept shopping secrets lies behind an unassuming door in the Rochester Community Center. Next to Gerry’s Emergency Food Pantry, the Community Clothing Shop is full of gently used clothing, shoes, toys, movies, furniture and more.

How reasonable are the prices? Let’s put it this way, if you have $5, you could clothe your family.

“Everything was free,” said SHARE Fund Executive Director Torey Kortz. “But we found we weren’t necessarily serving the needy.”

Last year, the decision was made to convert the free clothing service into a thrift store, with no geographical restrictions. Now, 100 percent of the proceeds go to fund the SHARE Fund’s Emergency Financial Assistance for Rochester, East Rochester and Gonic residents.

Free shopping is still available for those who qualify, Kortz noted. Shoppers only need a referral letter from an official local assistance organization, like the welfare department.

“It’s worked out really well,” she said.

Inside the thrift store, shopping deals abound. Adult clothing and shoes are just $1. Kids’ clothing and shoes are 50 cents. Shoppers can load up on accessories, toys, games, books, movies and CDs for 25 cents apiece. There’s also a selection of household goods and small furniture priced to move.

While shoppers benefit from the prices at the Community Clothing Shop, the needy in the area do, as well. The proceeds help fund the Emergency Financial Assistance program offered by SHARE Fund. The program helps with back rent, security deposits, past due electric, gas, water and sewer bills, emergency heating assistance and urgent medical, dental, prescription needs.

Emergency Financial Assistance services are limited to once a year per household. Client intakes are scheduled by appointment with a case worker. Call or walk in to set up an appointment and to learn what documentation is needed. The office is located in the Rochester Community Center, 150 Wakefield St.

SHARE Fund also operates Gerry’s Emergency Food Pantry, the largest provider of free food resources in the community. SHARE Fund began over 20 years ago as a ministry outreach service of Holy Rosary Church. Their programs are operated by over 100 volunteers. They are a last resort emergency agency focused on not duplicating existing services, but instead filling gaps in available resources. SHARE Fund serves over 5,000 people annually through their programs.

SHARE Fund’s financial support comes from the City of Rochester, United Way, various grant funders and fundraising efforts, but mostly from the generosity of individuals, businesses, churches and civic organizations.

Donations for the Community Clothing Shop may be delivered to them during their open hours or you can drop bagged clothing and linens in their drop-off shed in the Holy Rosary Church parking lot, 189 North Main St., anytime.